


What am I to You, exactly?

by MissPiony



Series: Sanditon Valentines [2]
Category: Sanditon (TV 2019)
Genre: 6 Sanditon Valentines, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Sidlotte - Freeform, THERE WAS ONLY ONE BED, Tumblr: Sanditon Creative, Valentine's Day Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-13
Updated: 2020-02-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:35:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22694896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissPiony/pseuds/MissPiony
Summary: Sequel to 'Am I never to get away from You?' Modern AU Valentine's fluff .The summer in Sanditon is coming to an end. How will things be now?Written for the Sanditon creative’s Valentine’s week event, prompt 'But there was only one bed’.
Relationships: Charlotte Heywood & Sidney Parker, Charlotte Heywood/Sidney Parker
Series: Sanditon Valentines [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1632442
Comments: 39
Kudos: 179





	What am I to You, exactly?

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: On demand (thanks for asking) and because I was not finished with this version of Charlotte and Sidney, this is a sequel to ‘Am I never to get away from You?’. This one is also written for the Sanditon creative’s Valentine’s week event, prompt ‘But there was only one bed’. 
> 
> Only one bed when you are with the one you love sounds ideal, but in this case, it will not be smooth-sailing between the sheets.
> 
> It will be a little hot but no full smut.

She was resting on the beach towel with eyes closed, enjoying what she new was the last shivering summer day here in Sanditon. For this time. Hopefully they would return next summer, Sidney and her.

She felt the warmth from the sand below and sun above and a different kind of warmth radiating from her forearm as a certain someone was drawing circles on her skin with his fingertips. Her lips tugged upwards as he started to teasingly tickle her there instead, but she kept her eyes closed and said nothing. A shadow fell over her face and she knew it was him already before he pressed his lips to hers. For a moment longer she kept faking sleeping, but then moved her hands to his hair and parted her lips for him. Her eyes fluttered open and stared into his intense brown ones.

"I knew you were awake", he smirked.

How she loved his face. She still could not fully grasp that this man was her boyfriend. Well, they had never used that word exactly, but he sure acted like it, so there was no need to put a label on it.

"I wasn't. You woke me. I'm expecting some kind of compensation for being stirred from my beauty sleep."

She pouted her lips like a sulking child.

"Now do you? Don't you know I did you a favour, waking you so you don't get a sunburn?"

Despite his words, he went on to give her exactly the kind of compensation she had wanted. Still holding the weight of his upper body on his arms but now framing her head between them, he shifted so his legs rested on hers, pressing her down onto the sand in a very pleasant manner and resumed the kiss, now deepening it. She let her hands run over the smooth muscular planes of his back, all the way to the lining of his bathing trunks. By now his bare skin was a familiar sensation but one she could not get enough of. It seemed to be the same for him, something she could clearly feel when he adjusted his position on top of her, something which in turn created a tingling sensation in her. They kept kissing for a while, taking advantage of the fact that for once the kids had not accompanied them and no one cared if their tongues were dancing.

Reluctantly, he finally pulled away and shifted to lie beside her, still turned towards her so others would not see his front. His eyes were darker than usual, and his breath ragged, as was hers. He glanced down on himself with a half embarrassed, half cheeky grin.

"As much as I have loved being here this summer, I'm glad we're returning to London now so I can have you to myself. This is starting to get… slightly frustrating."

She turned to lie on her side as well, facing him, propped up on her elbow. His let his palm slide down her body, following the curve at the dip of her waist, causing goosebumps wherever he touched despite the heat. She nodded, agreeing one hundred percent. The need to be with him was so intense that it was becoming a sweet kind of torture. They had been seeing each other one and a half months now, but still had not slept together.

In the beginning they had wanted to take it slow, get to know one another outside school and enjoy each other's company before rushing into bed, but lately it had been a question of them being comfortable sharing bedroom in Trafalgar House.

They had told Mary and Tom they were dating after two weeks' struggle to keep it secret. It had been fun and exhilarating when only they knew, but really difficult not to let their eyes and little touches betray them and, in the end, they thought it better to tell than get caught. The news were received with enthusiasm by everyone though Tom was more surprised than the perceptive Mary. The children were most excited of all, asking if this meant that uncle Sidney would marry Charlotte and stay with them forever, which was equally amusing and embarrassing as it was so early days.

Even if their budding relationship was well received, Charlotte was conscious of the fact that she had come to this house as an employee and she wanted to maintain a certain degree of professionalism during her stay. If she came back another time, invited as Sidney's girlfriend, it would be a different story, but for now she preferred to keep their physical contact limited to holding hands and chaste kisses when the family was around, and they had not shared bed. Sidney had suggested no one would notice if one of them changed bedroom during the night but had understood fully why Charlotte was not comfortable doing so. For this reason, they had not made it further than making out on the beach and during cliff top walks, something they had become quite fond of. They had also spent much time swimming, appreciating the cover the water provided.

Even if they tried to sneak away like this every now and then, the secret caresses felt like the longest foreplay ever and the sexual tension had steadily built up between them. It had now reached a point when neither of them was sure how much longer they could hold back. Luckily, it was the beginning of August and Charlotte's contract as a summer nanny for the Parker children had ended the day before. Mary had asked if they would not consider staying another week only to enjoy the beach, but they insisted that they wanted to return to London and spend some time there before the semester started; Charlotte's third university year and Sidney's new job as philosophy teacher at a different university. Both were silently thinking that they would not mind spending that entire time in bed with the other.

Now Charlotte pretended she did not understand what Sidney was eluding to, ignoring the physical evidence. She was not usually shy when it came to talking about sex, but it was something different to talk about it with a boyfriend one had not yet slept with.

"Have you had enough of the beach for one summer? Is that what you find so frustrating?" she teased and let her fingers trace over the ridges of his abs, the same ones she had not dared to look at their first day on the beach.

He caught her hand, brought it to his lips and kissed her palm.

"I think you know what is. Barely having any alone-time with you is eating away on me."

"At least we live in the same house. We won't in London. You realise I won't be able to bring you to my student room?"

She answered lightly, circling around the true topic, as she did not dare to tell him how much she longed for him too, how she wanted him with every sensory cell in her body. She could talk to him freely about almost anything by now, but when it came to sex or calling him her boyfriend, words failed her. Neither had they discussed much how everyday life would be when they returned home, they had been too busy enjoying the present.

"Of course, I know, but luckily I have quite a big house so I think I can squeeze you in there."

"You have a house? You never said."

He shrugged his shoulders like it was no big deal, even if it in reality was a rare thing that a twenty-six-year-old philosophy teacher would own a house in London.

"It's actually mine, Tom's, Diana's and Arthur's together but since Tom prefers to stay here, Diana has moved to Germany with her doctor fiancée and Arthur lives with his boyfriend, I have the London house to myself. The house here also belongs to all of us, but as you know Tom has pretty much occupied it."

"But how is that, that you have those houses?"

"We inherited them from our parents. Both died a few years ago, dad only a couple of months after mum."

"I'm sorry", she mumbled. I didn't know. I thought they were still alive somewhere. Do you miss them much?"

"More when I come here, I guess that is partly why I stay away. Trafalgar House was our summer house and we came here every year, even after Tom and I were sent off to boarding school and I have more fond memories of them from Sanditon than from London. The London house is just a house, but everything here has been a reminder that they died way too early."

He had spoken seriously, still holding her hand but now he smiled. She was about to ask him about the boarding school thing when he added;

"But now, I have new fond memories. With you."

Her heart skipped a beat. How was it possible that he was able to make her fall a little more in love with him every day? He leaned in to kiss her again.

"I have something I'd like to ask you."

"Okay?"

"Would you mind if we made a stop on the way to London tomorrow?"

"I don't think so. Where?"  
"My friend Babbers called me earlier. He has a country house on the way between Sanditon and London and has spontaneously decided to throw an end-of-summer-party there this weekend. He begged me to come and bring you."

"Bring me? You have told him about me?"

"Yes of course", he smiled. "As a matter of fact, he is the only one I told about you long before I thought I ever would get to be with you. He has heard about all my pining and now he wants to finally see me a happy man again."

"There was pining?" she giggled.

"I swear there was some serious pining, yes."

She shook her head.

"I still find this hard to take in, that you had feelings for me too all that time."

He shook his head too, at the madness he knew his feelings for her had been the past year.

"I was not very cool if you ask Babbers."

"Maybe I will, just to convince myself."

"Please don't, I already regret I told you. But does that mean a yes? Would you be okay with a little detour and meeting some of my friends? Probably also a bunch of other people I have no clue who they are, but I'm sure it will be fun. Babbers knows how to fix a great party."

"Yes, sure."

She hoped she sounded cool, but her feelings were a mix of anticipation and fear. She wanted to meet his friends but what if they did not like her? They had had the advantage of letting their relationship start in a little protected romantic bubble here in Sanditon and this might be the first pressure test. On the other hand, maybe it was time to try this in the real world and test if it was something lasting, like she hoped it was. Even if he gave her every reason to think he was hers, there was still part of her that could not fully believe it. She could not fully accept that someone like him could love someone like her. Being more involved in his life might prove that was really the case. Or not.

\- o -

They left early next morning after hugging all the Parkers goodbye and soon the coastal landscape outside the car windows was replaced by the green hills and fields of the countryside.

Sidney had said that Babbers had a country house, but when they an hour later drove through a pair of pineapple adorned iron gates, continued another mile on a road paved with high trees and finally reached an impressive old building surrounded by a meticulously well-kept park, she realised that might have been an understatement.

"Is this where your friend lives? When you said a country house, I imagined something more like a cottage rather than a miniature Downton Abbey."

"Well, estate might be a more correct description. I was afraid you might not want to come if I told you", he grinned sheepishly.

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Some people find places like this a but intimidating, but I really wanted to bring you and hope you will like it."

He reached for her hand and laced their fingers together.

"Okay, I admit it is a bit intimidating but not as much when you're holding my hand. Does it really belong to Babbers?"

"Yes, a.k.a. Lord Babington. Perhaps I should have mentioned that too, but he's really the most down to earth lord I know so I tend to forget."

"The most down to earth lord you know... Does that mean you know many? I didn't know philosophy teachers and lords commonly hung out."

"I know some." He laughed. "Boarding school is to blame for that. I think I'm the only one who ended up something as boring as philosophy teacher, but then again quite a few of the lads don't work at all. They just keep spending their parent's fortune."

"Not boring. You are my favourite teacher."

"Is that so? I thought you said you dreaded my classes."

"You know why. There was nothing wrong with your lectures."

"Lucky we won't have to live through lectures together anymore. I prefer seeing you like this."

He squeezed her hand once more before retracting his, then stopped the car on a graveled patch where several exclusive cars were parked already. He turned to her again.

"Would you mind if we don't share with everyone today that I used to be your teacher? If we say we met in Sanditon this summer instead? Some of them can be quite teasing."

"No, that's fine. In a way it is true, we didn't really know each other before Sanditon, and nothing happened before."

"In my head it did", he flashed her a wicked smile and leaned in to kiss her, but they were interrupted by someone knocking the car window and the door on Sidney's side flung open.

"Sorry if I was interrupting something but I wanted to wish you welcome."

Laughing, Sidney jumped out of the car and hugged his friend.

"Charlotte, this is our host Bertie, but he doesn't like his name, so everyone calls him Babbers or Babington. Babbers, this is Charlotte."

The young man did not look thrilled when Sidney revealed his first name, but more so when he was introduced to Charlotte. She instantly liked his friendly face and understood what Sidney had meant when he said he was an approachable kind of lord. He shook her hand enthusiastically.

"Welcome! Finally! I have heard so much about you, especially when this man has had a whisky or two, but I never expected I would actually get to meet the student who drove him mad with her hotness."

"Babs, shut up please. Don't listen to him, Charlotte."

"Sorry, but this is way too interesting."

Babbers offered her his arm to lead the way inside, leaving to Sidney to carry their bags.

"Don't worry, I promise I'll tell you everything including some very embarrassing moments from our boarding school days."

Sidney followed them with a sigh and an eye-roll.

"You're among the last to arrive, the others are already having drinks by the pool, but don't worry, I have saved my best guest room for the two of you."

He noticed the glances they exchanged.

"Did I say something wrong? Or you don't… Would you have liked separate rooms?"

"Er, we just haven't shared room in Tom's house, that's all", Sidney explained.

Babbers eyes darted between them and a deep blush spread over the cheeks of both.

"Oh, I see. I hope I'm not making you uncomfortable. Normally I could have had a second room arranged but now the house is packed with people. I can't offer you mine either because Esther is here."

He turned to Charlotte.

"Esther is my girlfriend, it's quite new too so… I'm sorry."

"Are you okay with this Charlotte, or I'll find a couch somewhere. No problem." She could see on Sidney's face that he was not in the mood for a couch really.

"Don't be silly. I don't mind. It's not like I never… er, never mind… It's fine."

It was absolutely true, she did not mind at all and she had been longing for this for weeks, but for some reason the imminent prospect of spending the night with Sidney made her nervous. It made her almost ramble about past sexual experiences, which was the last thing she wanted, just as little as she wanted to know about his history in that area as she was sure it would make her feel more insecure.

Her thoughts spun as they continued up the carpeted stairs. It would be the first time they shared bed. Would it be the first time they did more than sleep together too? How could something she wanted with her whole being suddenly make her feel like she was about to freak out? They had longed for this and if they had gone straight to London they would likely have spent the night together there, so she was not sure why it seemed almost terrifying doing the same here. Probably because she had not been prepared for it, combined with fear that he might discover she was not what he had expected. What if he found her wanton somehow? What if they lacked chemistry in bed?

She plastered on a confident smile as Babbers lead them through a long corridor and showed them into a spacious, absolutely beautiful room where the centerpiece was a huge four poster bed with velvet drapes. Her eyes wandered over the antique furniture, oil paintings and exquisite flower arrangements.

"Wow, this room looks like a king might sleep here."

"It has actually happened in the past", Babbers said modestly. "There is only one bed but at least it is a big one. Settle in, then come down and have a drink and meet the others."

He left and it was just the two of them and the humongous bed. Charlotte swallowed, even more nervous than before. That bed was totally screaming for people to have sex in it, like all-night-roll-around-in-all-sorts-of-kama-sutra-positions-like-they-do-in-films-sex.

He stepped closer and pulled her to his chest and for a moment just held her in silence, so she could hear his steady heart beats under her ear and she temporarily felt calmer. Then he cupped her cheeks between his hands and kissed her. It was an intense kiss, more demanding than the ones they had shared until now and her pulse raced again. They seemed to levitate towards the bed almost magically. She briefly felt it against the backside of her legs but then fell on it, with him over her. His lips did not leave hers, his weight pressed her down in the mattress, his hard body tight to her soft curves and he let out a low groan. She felt the most conflicting emotions; desire stronger than she ever had felt combined with a sudden flash of panic. She was not ready, not now, not like this.

She broke the kiss and turned her face away from him so he would not catch her lips again.

"What's wrong?" his breath was uneven, his eyes dark and confused.

"Nothing, I… it's just that the others are waiting for us."

He frowned his brow, trying to read her.

"I don't think anyone will notice if we stay here a while, but if you want to go join them…"

"I do." Her answer was too quick, she knew it came out like she really wanted to escape this situation.

"Okay. Alright then."

He sounded casual but looked terribly disappointed when he got to his feet. He pulled her with him but then stepped away instead of hugging or kissing her again. He did not laugh to relieve the tension, and neither could she.

She was not sure what to make of it. He could not be angry because she interrupted, could he? If he was, it would mean he was something of a jerk and she was quite sure he was not. Quite sure.

He took a deep breath and raked his fingers through his hair.

"Let's go then."

His voice was hoarse, and he did not take her hand as they walked down the stairs. This was a very strange and awkward beginning to their stay here. She hoped the rest would be better.

They walked through the house in silence and entered a sunny terrace, overlooking the big garden and a pool where a crowd of some fifty people was gathered, having cocktails. This was a larger party than she had expected. Everyone looked casually fancy and Charlotte felt that perhaps she did not belong among them. She wished Sidney had been holding her hand, but his were tucked into his trouser pockets.

Babbers happily waved them over as soon as he saw them.

"Everyone, for those of you who don't know them already, this is my dear friend Sidney, and this is…"

"…one of my students, Charlotte. I'm giving her a ride back to London from Sanditon where she has spent the summer working for my brother and his family."

Babbers surprised expression probably matched her own. Why did he introduce her like this after what he said in the car about not mentioning he had been her teacher? Why would he suddenly pretend like they were not involved with each other? Was it because she had interrupted the activities in bed just now?

His words were equally confusing and hurtful. She turned to see his face but realised he was not looking at her and followed the direction of his gaze.

He was looking at none other than Eliza Campion. She was as beautiful and blonde as ever, looking exactly like she belonged here. She was watching Sidney with big, blue adoring eyes and a wide, perfect pearl white smile. Charlotte felt a pang of jealousy shoot through her.

"Mr. Parker! Or I assume we should call you Sidney here. How nice." Eliza's gaze shifted to Charlotte and she looked less thrilled. "Charlotte. What a coincidence to meet you two here."

"Indeed, it is." Sidney smiled in return and Charlotte could not say for sure if it was forced or genuine. What she knew with certainty was that he did not intend to acknowledge that she was his girlfriend. Or was she? Suddenly it seemed more important than before that they never had used the words girlfriend and boyfriend.

"Did you say she was working for your brother?" Eliza asked curiously, turning to Sidney alone, but Charlotte did not intend to be left out.

"Yes, I was their nanny for the summer." She felt like adding; 'Nanny by day, making out with Sidney by night', but of course she did not.

"How quaint to work during the school break." Eliza giggled. "I have spent the entire summer on Côte d'Azur. That's the coast in South France in case you didn't know."

Charlotte felt like poking her tongue at her but did not do that either.

"I knew that", she said but Eliza's focus was entirely on Sidney now. She put her hand on his arm. "How wonderful to meet you outside school. To be honest I have hoped we would get such an opportunity."

Charlotte did not hear his answer because Babbers called for her attention handing her a colourful cocktail and said he wanted to introduce her to someone, so she reluctantly followed him over to a redhaired girl standing alone. She was even more beautiful than Eliza, but in difference to her she seemed nice.

"Charlotte, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend Esther."

After introducing them to each other, Babbers went to make sure some of the others were supplied with drinks. He was really an attentive host, keen for everyone to enjoy themselves. Everyone seemed to, except Charlotte.

"So, you're also new to this group?" Esther asked.

"Yes, I hardly know anyone."  
"But you came here with your teacher?" She sounded very curious.

"Er, well, yes. He used to be my philosophy teacher, he isn't anymore. Babbers knows there is more to that story."

"Are you lovers?"

Charlotte nearly jumped at the direct question.

"Why do you ask?"

"I'm sorry if I'm wrong, but there just seems to be this chemistry between you. I noticed it as soon as you came out together, before he introduced you as your student and gave that explanation about why you are here together. That made me totally confused. If he had introduced you as his girlfriend I wouldn't have been confused at all."

"Okay, I'll be honest with you. Right now, I'm a bit confused myself. We have been dating and I thought we were something, but after that introduction I'm not so sure anymore."

"So, are you sleeping together or what?"

"You are pretty direct, aren't you?"

Esther shrugged her shoulders.

"Life is too short to beat about the bush. That is what I like about Babbers. He made it clear from first day that he likes me. I had to make him sweat for a while of course, but I actually liked him from day one too."

"That is the contrary to us. We liked each other from day one, but none of us said anything for a long time because we were teacher and student. We have been going out for one and a half months now, but lovers… no we aren't."  
"But you have…?"

"Have what?"  
"You're not a virgin? I mean, that's not the issue?"

Charlotte nearly choked on her drink.

"My God, you're really blunt."

"I'm sorry, Babbers jokes I have Tourette's but that's the way I am. I know it's none of my business, but I sense some trouble here and I like you, so I'd like to help. I only can if I know the full story."

Charlotte instinctively knew it was true. Esther was not snooping out of malice, she was someone who could be an ally and she needed that with Eliza Campion tossing around her long shiny hair under Sidney's nose like she was in a shampoo commercial. In a way Esther's bluntness was refreshing, and she decided to answer honestly.

"Okay, no, I'm not. We just haven't yet. I was working for his brother and his family, staying in their home and I just wouldn't sleep with someone under their roof. Least of all a family member."  
"I see. But now you can."

"I can, but it feels odd to just do it at the very first opportunity."  
"But why? If you want it?"

"I'm not sure."

"You're in love with him?"  
"I'm crazy about him."

"Do you want him?"  
"Yes."

The way he made her feel simply by drawing circles in her skin… she wanted him without a doubt, so why was it so complicated now? What was she afraid of?

"Do you think he loves you?"

"I do… I did… today has just been so weird and now I'm not sure anymore. I mean, look at him. He is standing there talking to a girl from university, who happens to be the most beautiful one of all students and I know she has been hitting on him before. He came here with me, asked me to come, yet he is standing there with her and pretending like I'm nothing to him."

"I agree, that is a bit weird. Maybe he has some kind of strategy which we simply don't understand. I hope so Charlotte and I really hope you don't regret coming here, you are the nicest one of everyone here except for Babbers. I'm in love with him but I don't care much for his high society friends. Most of them are too snotty for my taste."

"Thank you, I feel like I need a friend here too."

In that moment she saw Eliza lean in an whisper something in Sidney's ear, almost placing her lips to his cheek and it all became too much for her.

Was this how it would be? That when they were among common acquaintances, he would pretend like there was nothing between them. The doubts she had tried to push to the back of her head returned. The ones that told her that she was not hot enough or experienced enough to be with a man like him. Not elegant enough either if she compared herself to the other women here.

"Excuse me Esther, I think I'll go for a walk because this is nauseating. If he should happen to miss me you can tell him I felt ill."

She put down her half-full glass, left the terrace and stepped out into the vast garden. She would go for a walk, then return to their room and spend the rest of the evening there. Sidney could sleep on the couch like he had offered before as far as she was concerned. She was not sure if she was sad or angry, perhaps a bit of both. Deeply disappointed anyway.

"Wait, wait, wait!"

She had not gone far when she heard someone come running. She knew it was him but did not stop until he grabbed her arm.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm surprised you even noticed I left", she spat, suddenly furious.

"Of course, I did."

"Let go of me."

"What's wrong?"

"You tell me!"

He stared at her, first looking upset and confused, but then the expression in his eyes shifted and turned very soft. He pulled her to him, ignoring her resistance.

"No, you tell me", he said with lips against her hair. "I have a feeling there is some kind of misunderstanding here."

Wrapped in his arms and with her cheek against his safe chest, she felt tears well up in her eyes.

"Please tell me."

"First it was the thing up in our room."

"The 'thing' in our room?"

"You got all weird when I stopped kissing you."

"Was I weird?"

"Distant. Angry? I don't know, it seemed like you were offended because I wouldn't sleep with you first chance we had."

To her surprise he chuckled.

"It wasn't like that. I was annoyed with myself for letting my emotions get the better of me, for going too fast. I needed some distance because I… I needed to calm down. Not because I was angry, because I wanted you and realised it was not the right moment. I thought you were right to stop, we're in no hurry."

"So, you're not angry that I made you wait?"

"If I were, I really would be a douche. You really think that badly of me?"

"I thought maybe you expected..."

He held her even tighter.

"I don't 'expect' anything. I hope you will want the same things that I do, but I don't take it for granted. I want you, I won't deny that, but I want you because I'm in love with you and I can wait as long as needed. Think about it, I didn't even date anyone last year because I couldn't imagine being with anyone but you. And that was when I had zero hope of ever being with you, in or outside a bed."

She felt a little lighter but that still did not explain everything.

"If that is true, then why the act over there? When you said yourself in the car that you preferred not telling everyone you had been my teacher and then you introduced me as your student."

"Because of Eliza Campion of course." He said it like he was amazed she had not cottoned in to his motives for acting like he did.

"You care what she thinks? You didn't want her to know we are... What am I to you exactly, anyway? We never said."

He held her out from him so he could watch her face and his smile grew wider.

"No, we never did, did we? I would very much like to think you are my girlfriend. As for Eliza, I don't care about her. I will probably never see her again now when I'm changing jobs, but I thought maybe you cared. I didn't want to out to one of your class mates that you are seeing your former teacher before I knew you were okay with it. I thought she might be the last person you wanted to know about us."

"She fancies you", she mumbled and looked down on her feet.

"I know, but I don't fancy her. Not one bit. I was just trying to be polite back there when she was talking nonsense. That girl doesn't have half a brain from what I have seen and even if she was brilliant, I'm not in the habit of falling for my students, with one exception." He paused, suddenly very serious. "I'm not sure if have managed to make you understand what you mean to me. This is not a passing crush to me. I have never felt like this with anyone. I want to be with you Char, only you and I'm still terrified that you may not feel the same. I'm scared because you are younger than me and perhaps not ready for a serious relationship in the way I feel that I am with you, or that you will want someone who is in the same stage of life as you, still a student. I brought you here because I want to include you in my life, but I don't want to push you. I was thinking you might be embarrassed to let class mates like Eliza know you are seeing me."

She took in his words and a feeling of complete happiness filled her.

"I'm not embarrassed. I don't care what she thinks. People who are my friends will understand. I want to be your girlfriend and I want everyone to know. I know I'm young and before I met you, I had no intention to settle for someone, but with you… I just can't help how I feel for you. It's an affliction, like the measles, except that I don't want it to pass. I want this. Us. More than anything."

She saw the relief and happiness in his face before he pulled her closer again and they kissed. Quite possibly this was their best kiss up to now, maybe because she sensed mote than ever that they belonged together.

"I am sorry if I upset you back there, it was never my intention." He said with his forehead leaned against hers.

"You did, but you are forgiven."

"So, should we go back and start over again?"  
"You made it a bit difficult now when you already told them you were my teacher."

"I'll deal with that."

They returned to the others, this time he held her close to his side, one arm around her shoulder and paused to kiss her several times. No one who saw them could miss that they were a couple. Eliza Campions eyebrows raised so high that they nearly detached from her forehead and flew away.

"Eeew, Charlotte! Are you dating a teacher?" she said with disgust.

"I'm dating Sidney, yes, but he isn't our teacher anymore, if you must know." Charlotte beamed.

"Is that true?" Eliza turned to Sidney.

"I'm not your teacher anymore, Ms. Campion, I quit before the summer and our relationship started after that and is completely legitimate. If I'm not mistaken you don't have anything against coming on to teachers when it applies to yourself, so I would be cautious to pass judgment. Other than that, you are nearly right; we're not only dating, I'm Charlotte's boyfriend."

With that they left the appalled Eliza behind and went to join Babbers and Ester, who were very pleased to see that the awkward situation from before had been sorted out. None of them cared a fig about Eliza Campion.

The party went on until late night. It was one of those warm summer nights when the light never seem to disappear fully, and you feel like you never want to go to bed because you do not want to miss a minute of life when it is like this. When Charlotte and Sidney finally returned to their room, some of the others were still sitting chatting in small groups by the pool or indoors watching the sky turn pink at the horizon from the already rising sun. They had had an amazing time but now they wanted to be alone.

Both were still a bit tipsy even if a few hours had passed since they had their last drinks, but they were feeling completely awake despite the very late hour.

When they closed the door behind them, Sidney leaned his back against it and waved to her to return to him. She willingly did and he put his arms around her and softly bumped his nose against hers.

"So, to resume the conversation from before. There is just one bed, but before we jump into it I want to remind you that I'm perfectly content if we just sleep beside each other tonight. I'm happy to finally be able to hold you through the night and that is enough for me. Okay?"

"I know, thank you", she said and kissed him. She made it a very slow and seductive kiss, shifting between nibbling and licking his lips to kissing him deeply with her tongue swirling inside his mouth. Her hands nestled their way under his shirt, and he hissed when she caressed his flat stomach and let her fingers first caress along the lining of his trousers, then continue downwards. He tried to remain passive, to just enjoy and let her set the pace but when she teasingly grinded herself against his emerging hardness it was impossible for him not to act. One hand slid down her back, to cup her buttocks and press her harder against him, the other caressed up her ribcage to find her breast and circle her nipple through the thin fabric of the dress. His lips traced her collarbone, her neck, nipped her earlobe.

"I know you are all right just sleeping together, but I want you. If you are fine with that?" she whispered, and he returned his gaze to her face.

Her eyes seemed huge and dark with desire, her lips were full and red from the intense kissing and he thought that nothing had ever made him as turned on as the sight of her, combined with that request.

"If that is what my girlfriend wants, I don't want to deny her that", he smiled. In one fluid move he scooped her up and carried her to the bed. He put her down carefully and she immediately reached for him, willing him towards her. All her hesitance was gone, this day had given her the answers she needed to feel safe to take next step with him, to share another piece of herself. She had wanted it so much but been afraid that if it after that turned out he was not hers after all, she would be completely lost. Now she knew with certainty that he had feared the same and he was indeed hers, loved her like she loved him. Amazingly enough this amazing man had harbored the same insecurities as her.

As they slowly undressed each other and he and began trailing kisses down her body, leaving her skin heated and her core even more so, he spoke with his lips softly against her neck.

"I know Babbers claims that royals have slept in this bed. I may not be that, but I'll do my best to treat you like a princess tonight and any other night because you are to me."

She was only capable of moaning in response, but as his hands, fingers, tongue, his entire body took care of hers with gentleness and fire until they both came undone, that was exactly how she felt. She knew that she never again had to doubt that she was enough for him.


End file.
